BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 25. Chairman of Uzbekistan’s Customs Committee met with Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO) to discuss ongoing customs reforms, digital transformation efforts, and prospects for expanding cooperation.
This was reflected in the statement by the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, following the meeting between Chairman of Uzbekistan’s Customs Committee Akmal Mavlonov and Ian Saunders, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), in Brussels.
According to official information, the parties reviewed Uzbekistan’s large-scale modernization of its customs system and discussed priority areas for future collaboration with the WCO.
Particular attention was paid to the establishment of a customs attaché position within Uzbekistan’s Embassy in Belgium. The initiative was described as an important step toward strengthening Uzbekistan’s participation in WCO activities, promoting international initiatives, and enhancing multilateral cooperation in the customs sphere.
The meeting was also attended by Uzbekistan’s Permanent Representative to international organizations in Brussels, Laziz Atoyev.
During the discussions, both sides highlighted the positive results of seminars, training programs, and diagnostic missions conducted with the support of the WCO, noting their contribution to strengthening the professional capacity of Uzbekistan’s customs specialists.
The parties also welcomed the recent appointment of Customs Committee official Nodir Qurbonov as a WCO international expert on Performance Measurement Mechanisms (PMM), describing it as a significant achievement for Uzbekistan’s customs administration.
"The parties emphasized the importance of expanding information exchange, improving risk management systems, and enhancing analytical capabilities to further strengthen customs administration and border security," the statement said.
Mavlonov briefed the WCO leadership on efforts to introduce digital technologies and intelligent solutions at border customs posts across the country as part of broader modernization initiatives aimed at facilitating trade and improving operational efficiency.
The sides emphasized the importance of further deepening cooperation in areas such as information exchange, risk management, and the development of analytical capabilities to enhance customs administration and border security.
